Nominations are now being accepted for eight open director positions on CUNA’s Board of Directors. The deadline for nominations and seconds is Friday, November 6. In contested elections, voting will begin Nov. 12 and close Dec. 16.
Each credit union nominee must be an employee or a voting board member of the nominating credit union, with the nomination seconded in writing by at least two other credit unions from the same class and, for Class A and B, district.
Directors elected will take office upon the adjournment of CUNA's Annual General Meeting, to be held virtually on March 2, 2021, during CUNA’s Governmental Affairs Conference.
Nominees to be elected by leagues must be a league chief executive officer and be nominated in writing by that league, with the nomination seconded in writing by at least one other league.
Two Class A and two Class B positions are up for election as follows:
District 1, Class B: Credit unions with at least 38,000 and not more than 141,000 members in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands;
District 3, Class A: Credit unions with less than 38,000 members in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee;
District 4, Class B: Credit unions with at least 38,000 and not more than 141,000 members in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin;
District 5, Class A: Credit unions with less than 38,000 members in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming
Two Class C and two Class D positions are also up for election.
Elections for Class C (credit unions having more than 141,000 natural-person members) and Class D (leagues) will be conducted at-large nationwide, rather than by district.
CUNA’s board has determined that a board candidate should possess certain qualities and characteristics. The board also desires to be diverse and inclusive. The board considers diversity to encompass all the characteristics, experiences and cultural influences that make each person unique. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent plays a significant part in the strength of the CUNA board.
Candidates should consider these characteristics, experiences and influences when self-assessing their qualifications for a Board position.
CUNA’s Board considers these characteristics important in qualified and diverse candidates:
Demonstrated commitment and engagement in the CUNA/League System
Involvement in their credit union community
Proven decision-making skills
Demonstrated local, state and national CUNA advocacy experience/efforts
Business savvy
Communication skills
Strategic expertise
Dedication to credit union values
Leadership skills
Demonstrated commitment to ensuring diversity and inclusion in professional settings, e.g. qualifications, experience, geography, demographics, etc.
Candidates will have the opportunity to address how they meet these characteristics as they complete their candidate profile form.
The CUNA Board desires to avoid any situation where any possible conflict of interest could occur with respect to the obligation of directors and officers of CUNA, and to provide an understanding of what must be disclosed or avoided for the guidance and protection of all concerned.
Because of the potential for significant conflict problems which could make it impossible for a CUNA director to fulfill his or her fiduciary obligation of undivided loyalty to CUNA, individuals who serve on the board or a major committee, or who have an employee or appointed/elected volunteer leader from their credit union/league or any directly-linked or subsidiary organization serving on the board or major committee of a competing trade association or any organization that promotes policies or philosophies that may compete with or conflict with CUNA's policies, are generally considered ineligible to serve as a representative on the Board.
Those wishing to serve may do so with resignation from the competing position, which must be done no later than at confirmation of election or at the point in time when such conflict is identified and prior to any confidential CUNA material being shared. CUNA’s Governance Committee may waive this limitation and assumption based on the facts and circumstances of each specific situation.
A “major committee” is defined as a standing committee, with a designated purpose, Board advisory and/or policy development orientation, and designated chair, for which reporting and/or meeting minutes are regularly shared with the Board of Directors of the parent organization.
Credit Union Magazine’s Spring 2022 edition profiles four Credit Union Heroes and examines CUNA's advocacy priorities, the advocacy army, and financial well-being for all.
